Thank you to Denise for inviting me here today. As
you can probably tell, I love culinary themed mysteries. I’m a huge fan of
desserts, especially cookies, so what’s better than writing about them? My main
character Sally Muccio runs a novelty cookie shop in Western New York. She and
her best friend Josie bake several varieties, one being the fudgy delight.
Upstate New Yorkers know these cookies by a different name though—fudge
fancies. They are a delicious sugar cookie topped with rich chocolate fudge
frosting and were the signature cookie of the Vanilla Bean Bakery, which closed
its doors about 10 years ago. The cookies still live on, though. Other bakeries
in my area sell them with some varieties being better than others (and believe
me, I’ve tried them all!) I’ve asked repeatedly for the recipe and always been
turned down. So, with the help of my friend Amy, I created my own version and think
they taste just as good as the original.
FUDGY DELIGHT COOKIES
For the Vanilla Cookie:
Ingredients:
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets
with parchment paper. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and
salt, and whisk together to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine
the butter and sugar, and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and
fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after
each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Blend in the vanilla. With
the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until
incorporated and evenly mixed. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop out the dough into
the size of a golf ball, or use a 2-tablespoon scoop for them. Flatten the ball
slightly, to about half-inch thickness, and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart.
Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set. Do not overbake. The edges should
be no more than very lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheet for several
minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes between 3 and 4
dozen cookies, depending on size.
For the Fudge Frosting:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup milk
½ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup light corn syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ to 3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
In a 3-quart saucepan mix granulated sugar and cocoa. Stir in
milk, butter, corn syrup, and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil
3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract
with spoon until smooth. Fudge will be runny. Cool in the fridge for a few
hours until firm and then frost. There will be enough fudge to frost at least 4
dozen cookies.
CRUMBLED TO PIECES
In need of some quick dough, full-time baker and
sometime sleuth Sally Muccio decides to rent the vacant apartment over the
bakery to a friend of her grandmother’s. Allegra Fiato is nothing like Sal’s
darling Grandma Rosa, though. She’s mean, dishonest, and harboring a deadly
secret.
When the elderly woman is mowed down in a hit and run, it quickly becomes obvious this was no accident. Grandma Rosa asks for Sal’s help to find the killer, which involves a last minute trip to Vegas crashed by Sal’s crazy parents, stolen fortune cookies, and a mysterious missing locket. To add more spice to the mix, a loved one makes a startling admission to Sal that shocks her to the very core. Suddenly, Sal’s world is in danger of crumbling around her. Can she put the pieces back together in time before the killer makes her the next victim?
When the elderly woman is mowed down in a hit and run, it quickly becomes obvious this was no accident. Grandma Rosa asks for Sal’s help to find the killer, which involves a last minute trip to Vegas crashed by Sal’s crazy parents, stolen fortune cookies, and a mysterious missing locket. To add more spice to the mix, a loved one makes a startling admission to Sal that shocks her to the very core. Suddenly, Sal’s world is in danger of crumbling around her. Can she put the pieces back together in time before the killer makes her the next victim?
*Recipes Included!*
Or start the series with the first book, Tastes Like
Murder, which is on sale for 99 cents for a limited time! http://amzn.to/2zVeQyq
Get the Cookies & Chance short story, Formals,
Fortune Cookies & Fraud for free when you sign up for Catherine’s
newsletter: http://catherinebruns.net/newsletter_bruns/newsletter.html
GIVEAWAY
Leave a comment and tell me what’s your favorite
cookie. One person will receive winner’s choice: A signed copy of any book in
the Cookies & Chance series and one of my measuring spoons. (Please note that
if you want Crumbled to Pieces it will not arrive until approximately the first
week of October.) An ebook copy will be provided if the winner is located
outside the U.S.
Other places to find Catherine:
Author Page - https://bit.ly/2nkm0HN
Twitter - @writesmystery
Instagram - instagram.com/catherinebrunsauthor
--Catherine
Bruns is the USA Today best selling author of the Cookies & Chance
mysteries. She also writes the Carrie Jorgenson culinary books set in Hawaii
and the Cindy York real estate mysteries. Her new series, the Italian Chef
Mysteries, releases from Sourcebooks in Summer 2019. Catherine lives in Upstate
New York with an all-male household that includes her very patient husband,
three sons and several spoiled pets. In her spare time, she loves to read, bake
and attend theater performances. She has a B.A. in English and is a former
newspaper reporter and press release writer.
I like chocolate chip cookies. I would pick Burned to a Crisp for my book. Dbahn@iw.net
ReplyDeleteHi Dianne. I've asked this question several times before and chocolate chip always wins! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteMy mom makes a delicious Butterfinger cookie and there is no way you can eat just one. I would choose the first book in the series . Thank you for offering this giveaway.
ReplyDeleteWendy
clarksrfun at gmail dot com
Oh those sound great! I love the candy bar so no doubt I'd enjoy the cookie too!
DeleteMy favorite would be a good chocolate chip cookie still warm from the oven.
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
There's nothing quite like warm chocolate chip cookies!
DeleteNo matter how many recipes I try my favorite is still my mom's old recipe for chocolate chip cookies. But these cookies look really good. I've never seen these before. Thanks for the recipe. And the contest. If I get picked, I'd like the first book, please. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteHi Riley. Chocolate chip cookies always seems to win, hands down. Good luck!
DeleteI love oatmeal cookies. But when in Amish country it's snickerdoodles. We buy a bunch of them to bring back home. Thank you for the chance in your giveaway. pgenest57(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHi Paula. I love snickerdoodles myself. There's a recipe for them in Crumbled to Pieces as well because so many readers have asked for it. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteMy favorite cookie recipe has to be my Ozark Honey Oatmeal Cookie. Not only does it taste delicious but it's the most versatile cookie recipe that I have. You can make it way ahead of time because the longer it sits the better it gets. Not like most cookies that tend to try out with age. It takes just about any kind of weather - hot or cold. It both ships and freezes well. Everyone is always asking for the recipe and it's not any harder to make that any other cookie.
ReplyDeleteI will have to say that I also love my Teacake recipe that was passed down to me by my Granny. I make it often too since it's a favorite of my husband (along with Snickerdoodle Cookies with extra cinnamon). During the holidays I can add colored sugar to make them festive.
Thanks for the wonderful chance to win a signed copy of one of your books. LOVE your books and can't wait for the opportunity to read " CRUMBLED TO PIECES".
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks, Kay! Both of those sound really good. Recipes handed down from our ancestors are such a treasure, aren't they?
DeleteMy favorite is homemade ginger snaps but I never make them because my boyfriend and I have eaten a dozen and a half in one weekend.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
Hi Sandy. I love ginger snap cookies. I'm planning to feature a recipe for them in Book #8. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI pretty much never met a cookie I didn't like. Pecan sandies are probably my favorite. rgp1950@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for commenting and good luck!
DeleteWe are partial to an old Scottish Shortbread cookie. We often add something like Lavender buds (dried & run through spice mill) or another dried flower. They are very delicate. Not at all like the hard stuff you get in a store. And they never last long. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com
ReplyDeleteThose sound wonderful, especially with the addition of the buds. I love recipes with unique ingredients. Thanks for commenting!
DeleteI love an old fashion molasses cookie.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy reading your books.
judytucker1947atgmaildotcom
Thank you, Judy. I haven't featured a molasses recipe yet but it's definitely something I've been thinking about.
DeleteMy favorite cookie is a lemon biscuit which is filled with love and perfect with tea. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThose sound good. I'm more of a coffee drinker myself and bet they go great with both!
DeleteI love thumbprints and cut out cookies with frosting. Hard to pick which one is my favorite! I've never heard of the Fudge Fancies, but I look forward to trying them! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteioncookbooks(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi Kelly. They are a bit of work but so worth it, in my opinion. Thanks for commenting and good luck!
DeleteYour cookies look delectable and are so great. The little ones love those. I enjoy cranberry cookies. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for commenting. Kids especially love the frosting, I think. And so do I, lol.
DeleteHi Catherine -- thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and sharing the yummy fudgy delight cookies -- I can't wait to make them! My favorite cookie is the basic tollhouse chocolate chip cookie, but with different flavors of chips and some espresso added for that mocha taste. bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteHi Celia. I haven't tried chocolate chip cookies with espresso yet but now I'm going to have to! They sound delicious.
DeleteLooks like a yummy combo of the plain old sugar cookie (my husband's favorite) and lots of chocolate! My favorite is a cake-like chocolate chip. Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletesallycootie@gmail.com
That's exactly what they are. The cookie part is not as sweet as some varieties of the sugar cookie, which is a good thing because the frosting more than makes up for it. :)Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteLove this series. My favorite cookie is a simple ginger bread cookie. I always buy three or four packages every winter. They last me a couple of months.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Thomas. I love gingerbread myself and plan on featuring a recipe for it in the next book.
DeleteMy favorite cookie would have to be Russian Tea Cookies that my Grandma used to make. My sister has made them in the past from her recipe. They are so flaky and scrumptious.. I wish I was more of a Baker to be able to make them.. I tend to burn cookies and pies.. 🤦♀️🤦♀️❤
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance.
lilyanngill56(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Lily,I have a family recipe for a Maamoul cookie which is somewhat similar to those. The only down side is they take all day to make! Thanks for commenting.
DeleteHonestly, I never met a cookie I didn't like :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have either, Amy!
DeleteI love to make cowboy cookies which is your basic oatmeal cookie recipe that you add a fourth of a cup of chips (chocolate, peanut butter, etc), a handful of dried fruit (raisins, cran-raisins,apricots,etc), a fourth cup nuts, and a sprinkling of dried shredded coconut.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue. I have never tried those. I am not a big fan of nuts in cookies but the rest sounds great, especially the coconut!
DeleteCOOOOOKEEEEZ!!! Welcome to the blog, Catherine!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leslie! It's a wonderful blog. :)
DeleteI am a cookie monster and my favorite is a crunch white chocolate chip pistachio cookie ! Thanks for the chance to win
ReplyDeleteHi Taylor, those sound good. I just made raspberry cheesecake cookies with white chocolate chips. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteSugar cookies are my favorite. This fudgey frosting will be a yummy addition to try.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com
The Fudgy Delight Cookies are making my mouth water! I haven't read any of the books in this series. I'd love an autographed copy of Tastes Like Murder! Thanks for the chance to win it!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Usually, Peanut Butter Blossoms are my favorite cookie.😉
DeleteHi Nancy, peanut blossoms are delicious. I have a bad habit of eating too many Hershey kisses before I finish the cookies though, lol.
DeleteHi Nancy, you are the winner! Please contact me at catherinebruns@outlook.com to claim your prize. Thanks!
DeleteWoo hoo!! Will messenger you now!!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChocolate chip nut cookies still warm from the oven.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
Hi Libby. Cookies always seem better when they're fresh out of the oven, don't they?
DeleteI like oatmeal raisin cookies. Silly question but, are those cookies good unfrosted? I'm not a chocolate lover. I could always use a different flavor, of course.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
Hi Linda, it's not a silly question at all. They are quite good without the frosting - the sugar cookie by itself is not an overly sweet one. I haven't tried them with other varieties of frosting but am guessing they'd be delicious with vanilla or strawberry buttercream.
DeleteOatmeal chocolate chip is probably my favorite, but I love gingerbread ones too.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria at hotmail dot com
my mom's magic cookies or layer cookies goes by either name.
ReplyDeletegreeneyes2755(at)yahoo(dot)com
The Fudgy Delight cookies look amazing. Chocolate chip cookies are my favorite with my Mom's walnut cookies a close second.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
It's a toss-up between intense ginger snaps and oatmeal chocolate chip walnut cookies.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
Now I want to eat one of those fudgie cookies, thank you for the recipe. I’d love to win and read one ☝️ f your books. They sound so interesting and fun to read. I’ll look for them. Donamaekutska7@gmail.com my favorite is sugar cookies now I want chocolate on them!
ReplyDeleteThose look great. I love hermit cookies and lebkuchen. Thanks for the chance to win! kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net
ReplyDeleteI’m a sucker for a good chocolate chip! Thanks for this opportunity!
ReplyDeleteDm _ richards (at) yahoo (dot) com
Fudge delight cookies look delicious. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteSugar cookies are my favorite.
DeleteIt is a toss up between Chocolate Chip, Molasses Crinkles, or Thumbprint.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your upcoming book release !
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the fudgy delight cookie recipe !
I will definitely have to try it. I love baking !
I love about any homemade cookie that lands in front of me.
If had to pick a favorite, it would be molasses cookies.
Myndirene(at)yahoo.com
White chocolate macadamia nut cookies are one of my favorites! bskts4unme@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI like chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate and walnuts. Yum!
ReplyDeleteHow great to see you here today! I would love to win a paperback book of your series!!! I love chocolate chocolate cookies with macadamia nuts!
ReplyDelete